Adjustable crank pin



July 3', 1923. .1` A650592 R.' E. WINTERS ADJUSTABLE @RANK PIN OriginalFiled April 22, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet l y July 3, 1;"923. TQZ` R.- E.WINT-ERS ADJUSTABLE VCRANK PIN original Filed April 22. 1921 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTDR Zfoarv' WnVsrs nism more Patented July 3, 1923iROBERT E. WINTERS, OIE' CORAOPOLIS, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALFTO ANTHONY C. DEAN, OF EXTTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA. l i

AnJUs'raeLE Ceann Prix.

Application filed April 22, 1921, Serial No.,l 463,547. Renewed November21, 1922.

0 all 107mm t may cm1/cera:

Be it known that I, ROBERT E. NINTERS,

able Crank Pin, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an adjustable vpitman, and particularly to apitman which is automatically adjustable.

vThe pitman shown and described herein comprises substantially thestructure of that shown and described, but not claimed in copendingapplication Serial No. 366,490, filed March 17, 1920, and is shown asapplied to the general speed change mechaparticularly described, andclaimed, in companion application Serial No. L161,560, filed April 15,1921. y

One object of the invention is to provide means comprisinga vpositivelydriven wheel and. power transmitting pin therein, whereby the positionof the pin may be automati- 25 cally adjusted to vary the length ofstroke thereof.l

A more specific object ofthe invention is to provide means on the drivenshaft of an engine whereby the length of stroke of a pitman pin isautomatically decreased upon a decrease of engine 'speed,ltherebyincreasing the force transmitted; and is automatically increased uponincrease in engine speed,

thereby increasing speed at a sacrifice ofthe force transmitted.v l

A further object of the invention is to provide means, of the naturespecified, which are simple and compact, and which may be readilyappliedto the driving means of a. power propelled vehicle.

In the accompanying drawings` Figure 1 is a front elevation of theadjustable pitman of the present invention with the operatingconnections therefor removed; Figure2 is a view showing the pitman incentral vertical section; Figure 3 is a central view therethrough inhorizontal section; Figure 4 is a central vertical section through theadjustable pitman and speed change mechanism to which it is applied; andFigure 5 is a central horizontal section through the same mechanism.

In the drawings the reference numeral 1 designates a `housing forcontaining the parts of the mechanism. Rotatably mounted in housing 1 isa wheel 2, between which andV the housing are preferably interposed oneor more anti-friction bands 3. Wheel 2 is rigidly secured as by means ofa small brackete, with the engine shaft 5 to rotate therewith. vvA.cross head or block 6 is slid,-

able in a slot 7v inthe wheel and carriesa pin 8 forthe transmission ofpower tothe other' portions of the mechanism.

The pin 8 enters a4 slot 9 inalignment with the slot 7 in wheel 2; thisslot. 9 being in a reciproc'able member 10 slidably mounted transverselyof housingv 1.` Recipocating movement is imparted to `member 10 bytheaction of pin 8 in the slot 9, the length of stroke of the reciprocatingmember depending obviously upon the eccentricityof the pin 8. Pin 8 issurrounded by a bushingll to completely fill the slotv and prevent. anyf i torsional stresses upon the pin.

Slide 10 is slidable ontracks 12 in thel frame 1 the frame beingofsufiicient width in this portion to permit of a/.stroke ofthe .maximumdesired length. Freely rotatable in bearings 13 inthe vend members ltand 15 of slide 10, are af pair of worm racks 16 and 17 in vertical oalignment with each other. Meshing with `both of `said racks is a wormgear 18 directly connectedwith the power shaft 19, so that reciprocatingmovement of the worm-is converted into movement of rotation of the powershaft. f

y mattez `With the structure 4 so far described, howy ever, the rotationkof the powershaft would be inalternately reversed directions. 'As it isnecessary for most useful work, such asv the transmission of motivepower for an automobile, that-f the power shaft be rotated in' auniformdirection; special lmeansare 'provided kfor securing this uniformdirection of rotation.

These means comprise primarily plates 20 TheA racks 1'5 andl 16 areslidablein `their i bearingsy and each is provided with a pair -and 21of the general formrof a bell crank yof enlarged shoulders 24 and-25arranged to contact or be freed from contact with the inner surfaces ofend members 14 and 15 according to the position of the rack.

The theory of operation of this portion of the device is that the racksare alternately uncentered during strokes of the slide in oppositedirections; and that the uncentered rack is held against rotation to actupon the worm gear while the other raclr is free to be rotated idlythereby. This e'dect is obtained by the position of the contacts. lV ithreference to Figure 5 0f the drawings, the plate 20, shown as thelowerof the twoplates in this figure of the drawings, is in suchpositionthat the contact point 22v bears thereagainst to free shoulder24 of the rack from contact with side portion 14 of the slide, whileforcing shoulder 25. into Contact with side portion l5.

If the slide is moving in a direction which corresponds to a downwardvmovement with reference to Figure 5 of the drawings, portion 15 of theslide, bearing against shoulder downwardly of the pitch line of theraclr, uncenters the rack and holds it against rotation'so that it actsupon worin gear 1 8 to cause rotation lof the same. During movement ofthe slide in opposite direction, the bearing point is on the point ofthe cone 22 of the rack at or adjacent its pitch line so that the rackis free to rotate idly.

lVith the other raclr 17, the positions must bereversed so that shoulder2 4 is in Contact with portion 14 ofthe rack and shoulder 25 is free topermit the rack to have bearing upon the point of the cone 22 which isdisposed at the sameend of the rack as the shoulder 25. Rack 1T is thusfree -to rotate when rack 16 is heldand is held when rack 16 is free torotate.

As the action'ofthe racks depends upon the position of the beveled orcam surfaces of the plates 20 or 21 the action of the racks anddirection of rotation of worm gear 18 andpower shaft 19 may be reversedby shifting the position of the plates, For this purpose the shaft26, towhich plates 20 and 21 are rigid y secured, is provided with alongitudinally eictending notch 27, In -tliis notch engages the shoulder28 of power shaft 19. The power shaft 19 is slidable in the hub 29.ofthe worm gear, and shoulder 28 engages in the notch 27 of shaft 26 insuoli manner that the shaft is freely slidable thereon; Engaging powershaft 19 by means of a collar SOis an operatinglever 31 by means ofwhich the plates 2O and 21 may be l so shifted as to change the positionof the cam surfaces and thus cause a reversal in the direction ofrotation ofworm gear 18 and power shaft 19. This reversal is due to thefact that the change in the position of the plates causes the outercontact members or shoulders which were previously free to be broughtinto contact with the slide, while at the same time the outer contactmembers which previously bore against the slide will be freed and theentire bearing at their end of the racks will be provided by the pointsof cone 22. f

For actuation of lever 31, the lever may be provided with curvedextensions or horns 32 and 33. As shown, extension is hinged at 34 tothe exterior of housing 1. while eX- tension of 33 communicates with arod terminating in an operating pedal 36. A coiled spring 37 lying` incup 38, formed exteriorly of housing 1 and bearing against lever 31,serves to maintain the lever normally in its released position.

lhcn applied to a power propelled vehicle, the mechanism serves as abrake as well as a speed change mechanism. The braking action of thedevice is secured by operating reversing lever 31 to change the positionof plates 2O and 21 without, however, changing their positionsufliciently to cause a reversal in the direction of rotation of wormgear 18. This action serves to slightly uncentcr both of the racks y16and 17 during movement of the slide in both directions so to retardtheir rotation, without holding The mechanism described above isidenti`v cal with that claimed in copending application Serial No.461,560, filed April 15, 1921. The' automatic speed governing meansproper comprise a vane 39 carried by a collar 40 slidable on the engineshaft 5. Collar 40 embraces a radius rod or curvedtongue 41, which liesin a notch 42 in' the engine shaft and is secured at its innereztreinity to the cross head 6. As the interior of the housing is to befilled normally with a liquid` lubricant, the friotional engagement ofLcollar 40 on the engine shaft and the resistance of the liquid willcause the vane 39 to creep.

tion `of wheel, 2 remains unaffected by .this

adjustmenuthe speed of movement of "slide 10 is `increased withincrease'in the length of its stroke. The pullisof coursecorrespondingly decreased.'

llVith decreased engine speed, the'collar in ay be drawn inwardly bymeans of a spring against the resistance of which the vane 39" movesoutwardly. This inward movement of collar 40 serves to depress the innereX- tremity of radius rod 41, thus moving cross head 6 toward the centerof slot 7, and the iis ' pin 8 toward,- the centersfof'slots '7 and 9.,k

' shocks and'jars to the' entirestructure of the l The speed of movementof slide l and worin lSfis thus decreasesl but the creased. l l .l

Thus if the mechanism be applied `to a power propelled vehicle, theslowinglof engine speed when the Vvehicle is on an uppull ingradeixwillautomatically cause'the pullfor taking the jgrade to be increased..AUpon- '.10

speeding upA ofthe enginewhen the summit ofthe hill has been reachechthecreeping of vane 39 will cause the speed of rotation of the power` shaftto, bev increased. i

This 4arrangement automatically Vreduces the` speed of rotation` ofthe`power shaft only the amount necessary to secure the pullv `requisiteunder the existing grade, condition of the roadway,4 etc'.l Thisispossible because there` arel nofi'xed' steps, as with a gear assembly',j but on the `contrary all changes are gradual and without ,noticeable`graduation. This fact, in itself, avoids It will also be understood thatwhen 'the pitinan pin 8 is in the-exact centerj'of the slots 7 and 9,the effect will be the same as that obtainedv with the neutral of theAordinary clutch. That is, the engine will run free ofthe load as the pin8 will merely rotate in the slots without exerting' any force upon theslide l0.

As illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. means are provided for `bringing themechanism into neutral and 4for controlling thespeed at lthe will of theoperator, these means be-l ing so arranged as to normally interfere inno way with the automatic speed regulation.

To give this independent controla yoke 43 carried bya lever 44iss'eciired by a ring 45 set in ,collarl and slidable therein.` Thislever has a rotatable connection in thehour ing 1 and is also hinged toa` horizontal link 46. Horizontal link 46' is in turn joined toanoperating rod 47.which carries a pedal 48. yTo the extremityl of"horizontal lever 4,6 is securedcoiled 'spring 49 which nor; mallyresists outward movement of `vane "39 and ycollar 40.v Depressionofjpedal 48 causes Y inward movement of collar' 40 to decrease the speedtransmission or` topl'ace'the operating pin8 in cFnei'itral position;while release of the pedal permits governing vane 39 to exerciseitsnormaleffect. j v

It will be understood' that the automatic speed regulating means areapplicable to4 any. mechanism in which a pin is adjustably.

j mounted in a driving wheel and arranged vto act upon a reciprocablemember'.4 Itis particularlyadapted to use withthe other members of themechanism shown and describedv herein. because such other members arelikewise simple, compact, and well suited to use..

in a power propelled vehicle. l i

As the device is susceptible of a number driving shaft, a driven wheel,a reciprocable of modifications, 'bothy as' to: form and-ar y rangement,without departing' from the spirit offxthe inventiong'the scope of thelin|- vention is .to-.be'restricted only bythe limita i i 7:0y

tions @contained in thev` claims appended hereto.'` f v yVVhatI claimis: l. An adjustable -crankfpin driving shaft, ,a driven-wheel, yareciprocable member, aj pin adjustably mounted yin vsaid wheeland*'extendingginto a slot insaidieciprocable member, a vane mountedfon'sai'd drivenn Shaft and arranged, to` creep, outi wardly thereon,means., arrangedV `to be; opere ated by-.said vane to move the pin awayfrom comprising a the center of said wheel, and resilient means fexerting yaforce tendingto move said toward the center :of'said wheel.

drivin-g shaft, adrivenwheehareciprocable member, a pin adjustablymounted in 'said' wheeLand extendinginto' a slot in saidl reciprocablemembenza 'curved operatingrod secured, to said pin?, automatic means-vare ranged to act upon saidy curved .operating rod tomove the pinawayfrom theicenter of" said wheel, and resilient means arranged-toexerta force tending to move the pin toward the center of the wheel.

l3. .An adjustable crank pin comprising ai driving shaft, ar drivenwheel, a vreciprocable 2.y An adjustable crank pin comprising ai.k 1

lpin

vmem'loer,a pin adjustably mounted in `said i,

wheel and extending into aslot in said reciprocable member,` avcurved,'operating rod seembracingsaid curvedfoperating rod, a vane samewith' increase'. in the Speed of revol'u#` tion of said'driving shaft,and resilient means exerting ajforce tending4 to move 'said-` pin towardthe center of said wheel. y

lon said` collarffor causing creeping ofthe 4. y.An adjustable crank pincomprisinga 4memben-a pinadjustably mountedin said l.

of thel wheel.

An adjustable crank pin comprising a ,y driving shaft, a driven wheel, areciprocable.

member, a pin adjustably vmounted Vin' said wheel and extending intofaslot in said reciprocable member, means operated by revo# lution of thedriving shaftvfor moving' said pin away from the center of saidwheeh'ref silientmeans exerting a force tending" to move vsaid pintoward the center of the wheel, and independent means operable at vwill'for f moving the pin toward the.` center of' the wheel. f j i f 6; l Anadjustable crank pin comprising `a cured to said pin and lying within .aslot` in f 1.00 Y i Said driven shaft, a collaron said shaft and f i'member, a pin adjustably mounted in lsaid -Wheell and extending into aslot in said reeiprocable member, a vane mounted on said driving` shaftand arranged to creep out-` wardly thereon,l neans arranged to beoperated by Said vane tomove the pin away from the center of said Wheel,resilient meanseX- erting a force vtendingto move said pin toward thecenter of said Wheel, and inde pendent means operableat A will formoving the` pin toward the center of the Wheel.

'7. An adjustable crank pin comprising a driving shaft, a driven Wheel.lal reoiprooable member, a pin adjustably mounted in said Wheel andextending intova slot in said reeiprocable member, a curved operatingrod secured to said pin, automatic means arranged to act upon saidcurved operating'rod to move the pin away from the center of said Wheel,resilient means arranged to exert a torce tending to move the pin toward'the Center of the Wheel, and. independent means operable at Will formoving thepin toward the center of the Wheel.l

`8. Anadjustable crank pin Comprisinga driving shaft, a driven Wheel, a'reoiprooable vthe Wheel.

member, a pin adjustably mounted infirsaid i rocable member, automaticmeans for moving said pin away from the center of said wheel, resilient'means exerting a `force tending toinovethe pin toward the yCenter ofthe Wheel, and independent means operable at will for movingthepin-toward theeenter oiZ v means operable independentlyfor moving j?the pin toward'the center of thev Wheel.

In witness whereof,A I hereunto set hand.'

Witnesses:

M. DWYER, E. B. VVALTnRs.y

Wheel and extending into a slot in said lreoip-` Bonner nwimrnes.V s

